Woods says father and son bond worth the risk of setback in his recovery
Masters champion Tiger Woods plays his stroke from the No. 15 tee during Round 3 of the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club, Saturday, November 14, 2020.
TIGER WOODS insists playing with his son Charlie in the PNC Championship is well worth it — even if it delays his recovery from injury.
The Californian, who battled back from serious leg injuries to play three Majors this year, is struggling with plantar fasciitis.
But he's adamant teaming up with his son is worth any pain as they chase victory at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club in Orlando, where Pádraig and Paddy Harrington are also in action.
"I don't really care about that," Woods said of a potential setback. "I think being there alongside my son is far more important. To get the chance to have these experiences with him is far better than my foot being a little creaky."
Tipped by Harrington to come back and win a 16th Major, Woods has been working hard to get back to full fitness. But he admits he's thought more about his legacy and the game this year, given golf's ongoing civil war.
"I think that golf has had a real look at itself, globally, and how it can be better, and how we can make the portals for the next generation of players better," Woods said, pointing to the average age of 26 at the Presidents Cup. "Golf has become younger. And we need to have access for these kids to be able to experience that now."
Meanwhile, Gary Hurley said a "good sleep" and a better attitude helped him make seven birdies in a second-round 68 to move into the mix at the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open.
The West Waterford man moved up to tied 16th on four-under-par, leaving him just six strokes behind France's Antoine Rozner, Finland's Sami Välimäki and Spain's Alfredo Garcia-Heredia after a day of high winds at Mont Choisy Le Golf.
"It's been a long year for me, so a lot of the work I do mentally is fairly draining," Hurley said. "And yesterday, I was just getting upset about stupid things, things that I haven't been really getting upset about throughout the year and it was kind of getting in the way."
Admitting a good night's sleep helped him reset, he said: "I woke up tired actually, it was such a long sleep, but once I got out to the range, I felt good… It was a three to four club wind at times, but I played really nicely."
Tom McKibbin made five birdies in a one-under 71 to share 20th on three-under, but fellow rookie John Murphy dropped 12 shots in a six-hole stretch and shot 84 in his 36th event of the season to miss the cut.
Rozner shot an eight-under 64 to share the lead with Välimäki (72) and Garcia-Heredia (66), one stroke clear of South Africa's Oliver Bekker.
Meanwhile, Malone's Matthew McClean, Kilkenny's Mark Power, Castle's Robert Moran, Royal Dublin's Hugh Foley, Galway's Liam Nolan and Douglas' Peter O'Keeffe have been named in the 19-man Great Britain and Ireland squad for the Walker Cup at St Andrews.
The match is set for the Old Course from September 2-3, with the 10-man team to be named in August.
